Whats your skin type?

Apologies for the delay in my next post. I have had one mad February!
Finally as promised I am going to share some info about your skin types and conditions. 

There is always a confusion about what type of skin people have, especially when it comes to choosing products - like the ones that state they are for "normal" skin! What is meant by "normal" is there such thing? I guess it depends on what you define as "normal". 

As mentioned previously there is a difference between a skin TYPE and skin CONDITION. A skin type is something you are born with. It's usually genetic so your mother/father will have it and their parents and so on. A skin condition is something you have as a result of environmental factors. Here's a list of some of the differences:

Skin type:

"Normal" (no such thing in my books- but the word exists!)

Oily

Dry

Combination

Mature

Acne

Sensitive (to particular ingredient)

Skin conditions:

Dehydrated

Pigmented

Acne

Sun damage

Premature ageing

Sensitised 

You may have noticed I have repeated some problems as both skin type and skin condition. This is basically because it can be both. For example you may have an allergy to a particular ingredient which would make it your skin type. However, using incorrect products for your skin type can make your skin sensitive in which case it is just a condition and you did not have it to begin with. 

Identifying your skins needs:

The best way to actually identify your skin type or condition would in fact be to go and have a skin consultation. However, I know it's not always possible and I know sometimes bad practice from consultants means having the wrong diagnosis - so to speak. So what's the best way to to find out yourself?

Dry skin:

Flaky 

Patches of dryness

Coarse

Needs oil 

This is quite an easy skin type to deal with. If its extreme flakiness with redness - by that I mean your top is covered in dry skin an hour after you have left home - than it may be worth checking with your skin specialist or doctor in case you have a condition such as eczema. Generally speaking dry skin can use oil without it blocking your pores. This does not mean you can pick up any oil. A good quality pure skin oil will be very effective at combating dry flaky skin. You can also buy oil based products, stay clear of oil free products. I'm hoping your getting the gist here! If you want to do your own.....

A good quality oil such as Sweet Almond, Grapeseed or Jojoba oil

Mixed with a few drops of Rose essential oil

I would recommend using this after your cleansing routine in the evening. 

Dehydrated:

Tight

Fine lines

Itchy

Often feels extremely dry/tight when washing with water

Can be rough feeling

Areas of redness possible 

Needs water not oil! 

The first thing people do when their skin is feeling tight is buy a thick rich moisturiser usually for dry skin conditions. This results in too much oil on the skin and the symptom of dryness still there. It might feel nice temporarily, but it will not fix the problem. As a result you may actually make matters worse because remember you do not need oil you need water and by putting in too much oil you may cause your skin to break out in spots. The idea here is to buy water based products - look for Aqua as the first ingredient in your face creams. Add a serum to your routine and drink plenty of water. 

And please remember..... if your skin is feeling tight do not assume that you need a thick rich moisturiser, this will not sink in. You need a light moisturiser such as a fluid so that it can sink in. Imagine your skin as a sponge and in this case with no water in it - what would sink in better a dollop of a thick rich moisturiser or a lighter cream? 

Oily:

Genetically oily skin is one which has a lovely shine before you've got to work!! Literally. If you have a shine towards the end of your day, that may be more of a skin condition than type.

Prone to breakouts

Less likely to have premature ageing lines

if you are generally an oily skin type you can still be dehydrated. This is because you may have enough oil in the skin but not enough water. I know its confusing but just remember dry needs oil, dehydrated needs water. 

Once again you will need a water based moisturiser which is oil free. There are amazing products out on the shelves which can help balance your oil production and stop you from looking shiny too. Do not use bars of soap to wash away the oils. You can actually make your skin oilier by removing too much natural oil from your skin. Which in fact is why some people are dehydrated as well as oily. Toners are also important for oily skins. Look for words such as 'oil free', 'sebum regulating', 'balancing' and 'water based' products. 

Sensitive/sensitised:

Prone to redness

Easily irritated

Broken skin

Usually stings when applying products

This can be confusing, being naturally sensitive will just mean you have a more delicate skin which may have an allergy of some form. This type of skin is usually fine as long as you avoid the ingredient you are allergic too. SENSITISED skin - which most of us living in London will have, thanks to our wonderful whether all year round and our lifestyles - This can be fixed! It may be difficult and it may need patience but it is not normal and it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Sensitised skin can usually be a result of a 'bad' skincare routine or product, Health problems or and the environment. You can have any type of skin or any other skin condition and still be sensitive. The idea is to find the cause and get rid of it - easier said than done. If for example you are using skin care products which are reacting than obviously you need to stop. If you are not sure, stop using all the products, use a basic cleanser for sensitive skin and a sun protection on your skin until it clears up, than introduce one product at a time. I would recommend use each product 3-5 times before adding the next one. Now if you have a health concern and you are taking medication than again obviously you can not stop taking any medication just for the sake of your skin looking nicer! after all health comes first. However, it is important to remember that it is not always the medication causing the problem - the medication is probably  just making your skin a little less tolerant to environmental factors. So for example you may need to use a higher sun factor to protect it in the sun, you may need to address the dryness or dehydration and commonly your skin does not regenerate sufficiently resulting in a duller/dryer skin complexion and again you just need to address that.  Use a facial scrub more often, moisturise your skin more etc. Its all about giving your skin what it needs.

Please remember if you do have a serious health concern check with your health practitioner before using any advanced skin products. An example would be if you are on roaccutane which is commonly used for acne - you should not really be using any intense exfoliating products. 

   

Pigmentation:

Uneven skin colour

Areas of dark pigment or areas of light patches

Age spots

Scarring (colour difference)

Will go in to this another time.

Acne:

Acne is a whole new book in itself. The science behind acne is so extensive that I would probably need a whole new blog not just a page on the different kinds of acne, why you may have it and how to treat it. I would like to cover acne separately. However, for the purpose of this blog its important to remember that having a few spots does not mean you have acne. Acne is a serious skin condition which effects peoples life's in many ways. you can have acne breakouts typically on face, neck, chest and back. it can be caused by a number of factors and is usually a blockage of pores by an over production of sebum (oil) in the skin. yes you have guessed it - you can still be dehydrated and have acne. This is actually very common. most people with acne or even just spots tent to think they have too much oil and stripping the oils will help. In fact using harsh cleansing and soaps to remove the oils will cause the skin to first lose essential hydration causing it to became dehydrated and secondly remove natural oils which are needed - as a result your skin will produce more oil! trust me it will do this because skin science is amazing!

So I'm hoping you have a rough idea of the different skin types. I don't want to make the post too long so I will leave it here for now, with the promise to write more very soon.
Just remember treat your skin with respect don't use any harsh products on it. Do your research - if in doubt ask me or your skincare professional. For the young girls out there with perfect skin....look after it as it will catch up with you. So the hair spray you spray over your face to try and set the makeup may keep your makeup on for the night but trust me it will get you back not so far in the future. (and for those of thinking 'hairspray? what?' trust me that's what the girls are doing!). Happy women's day 8th March - Go and buy yourself or a lady who means a lot a lovely present, preferably some skincare products -  They/you deserve it!